Top 10 Greatest Managers in WWE History

The Manager in Professional Wrestling, more specifically the WWE, has become an endangered species.  

During the heyday of the WWE in the 1980's, the manager played a very important role in the development of the specific superstar, or superstars, that were under their tutelage.  

They also used their clever cunning, and razor sharp wrestling know-how to aid their wrestlers in earning important pinfalls over their opponents, which would later be rewarded with championship title opportunities.  

Often, managers would act as the wrestler’s mouthpiece, and would often cut promos on their behalf.

The manager has always been a classic part of professional wrestling as a whole, and should be brought back to the WWE.  

Here are the top 10 greatest managers in WWE history, from No. 10 to No. 1.

10) Sensational Sherri

When Shawn Michaels broke away from his former tag team partner Marty Janetty, and became a singles competitor, he enlisted the managerial services of Sensational Sherri.  

Sherri had an extensive resume, managing such greats as Randy Savage and the “Million Dollar Man” Ted Dibase.  

Sherri used her expertise to catapult Michaels into the top of the championship ladder, and made Michaels the greatest WWE superstar of all time.  

Shawn Michaels has said on many occasions “Without Sensational Sherri, there would be no Shawn Michaels.”

9) Slick

The “Doctor of Style” Slick broke the color barrier by becoming the first major African-American Manager in the WWE.  

He has managed such WWE stars as Rick Martel, Butch Reed and The Warlord.  

He took the Twin Towers—The Big Boss Man and Akeem “The African Dream” to the main event forefront, where they squared off against the Megapowers—Hulk Hogan and Randy Savage.  

Slick was known for his colorful promos and his unique sense of style and will always be remembered by fans as a managerial staple of the 1980's

8) Miss Elizabeth

The “First Lady of the WWE” and the first true Diva of the WWE, Miss Elizabeth was the exquisite manager of Randy “Macho Man” Savage, and was in his corner for most of his career in the WWE.

Elizabeth was silent, but strong and brought an unprecedented sense of class and beauty to the ring.

Elizabeth was instrumental in forming one of the most dominant tag teams in WWE history, the Megapowers, and was the inspiration that Randy Savage needed to become a multiple time WWE Champion.  

There will never be another female manager like Miss Elizabeth in the WWE, she was truly one of a kind.

7) Mr. Fuji

A cunning and devious manager, Mr. Fuji was a former wrestler and tag team champion who understood what it was like to compete inside the squared circle.  

Fuji had a plethora of tricks up his sleeve to ensure his wrestlers won matches, throwing salt in the eyes of his wrestlers’ opponents, using his trademark cane to injure and so much more.  

He managed one of the greatest tag teams in WWE history, Demolition, to championship gold.  

His biggest success came when he managed the near 600 lb Yokozuna, who became a multiple time WWE Champion.  

Mr Fuji was indeed a master of cunning outside of the ring.

6) Freddie Blassie

“Classy” Freddie Blassie has managed a proverbial who's who of WWE superstars throughout his entire career, including Hulk Hogan, Jesse Ventura and The Iron Sheik, and with his superb managerial skills brought them massive success in the WWE.  

Blassie was known for his no nonsense style of managing, and was never shy when it came to cutting a scathing promo against his wrestlers’ opponents.  

Blassie was devious, but a class act at the same time, and his sense of style was indeed unique.

Freddie Blassie was truly one of the great managers of the 1980's

5) Lou Albano

“Captain” Lou Albano was one of the most successful managers of all time in the WWE.  

In his more than forty year career in the WWE he managed fifteen tag teams and four singles competitors to championship gold—an accolade that has not been surpassed to this day.  

Albano often cut classic promos on behalf of his wrestlers, and was a genius outside of the ring.  

His trademark rubber band piercings, loud outfits and classic elongated beard were beloved by wrestling fans, and Lou Albano will always be remembered as the most charismatic and unique manager in WWE history.

4) Jim Cornette

Jim Cornette, one of the WWE's most outspoken and controversial managers of all time, managed some of the greatest WWE superstars, including Owen Hart, “British Bulldog” Davey Boy Smith, Vader and Yokozuna, and was known for his loud and heated promos condemning everything that was wrong about professional wrestling.  

Cornette was brilliant as a manager, and knew exactly what to do outside of the ring in order for his wrestlers to win a match.  

With his trademark tennis racket and colourful suits, Cornette always knew how to draw the attention of the fans.

Jim Cornette was indeed schooled in the art of managing.

3) Paul Bearer

A truly dark and disturbed individual, Paul Bearer brought new meaning to the title of manager when he debuted in the WWE.  

Bearer became the manager of the greatest big man in the WWE, The Undertaker, and with Bearer's help, he became a multiple time WWE Champion.  

For years Bearer held the secret to The Undertaker's power inside an urn, which he used to control Undertaker for his own evil purposes.  

Bearer was known for his demented promos, and he was the mouthpiece for The Undertaker early in his career, because Taker rarely spoke.  

Paul Bearer was a managerial staple of the 1990's, and was truly over with the fans of the WWE.

2) Bobby Heenan

The most hated manager in the WWE, Bobby “The Brain” Heenan, or Bobby “The Weasel” Heenan depending on who speaks about him, was a master manager and knew how to draw heat from the fans and his wrestlers’ opponents outside of the ring.  

Heenan managed some of the greatest WWE superstars, and of course named his family of talent the “Heenan Family”, which included, Rick Rude, Big John Studd, “Mr. Wonderful” Paul Orndorff and his most well known talent the “Eighth Wonder of the World” André the Giant.  

With Heenan's managerial expertise, Andre gained for the first time in his illustrious career a WWE Championship Match against former best friend Hulk Hogan at WrestleMania III.

Heenan was superb at cutting promos, and did not spare the feelings of his wrestlers’ opponents when he spoke.  

Bobby Heenan was truly a managerial icon in the WWE.

And now, the greatest manager in WWE history....

1) Jimmy Hart

The “Mouth of the South” Jimmy Hart has an extensive resume when it comes to managing in the WWE.

He managed some of the greatest WWE Tag Teams in history, including The Hart Foundation, The Nasty Boys, Demolition, The Fabulous Rougeau Brothers, and is no stranger to tag team championship gold.  

Along with his successful tag team accolades, Hart managed singles competitors to WWE gold as well. His greatest success as a manager in the singles division was The Honky Tonk Man's 454 day reign as WWE Intercontinental Champion—a record that still stands today.  

Hart was always shooting his mouth off, whether it was outside of the ring using his trademark megaphone, or cutting a promo in an interview.  

His flashy jackets were part of his style, and only a man like Hart could pull off wearing such outlandish clothing.  

Jimmy Hart was truly a legend in pro wrestling, and indeed was revolutionary outside of a WWE ring.